M&A advisors and consultants are increasingly nervous about the potential impact of the Labour Party’s inaugural Autumn budget. All eyes are on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, who recently commentedRead more
Whatever the result of the forthcoming General Election its impact will be widely felt across the UK economy. The longer-term view suggests that any merger or acquisition deals in flight post-polling day are likely toRead more
The first question a business owner asks when considering a sale of their company is always, “How much is my business worth?” The truth is that to answer this question in a meaningful way, itRead more
Check out our latest newsletter here: March 2024 In this month’s issue: Large M&A rebounds – what does this mean for UK SMEs Life after Sale – listen to one business owner’s story The importanceRead more
EvolutionCBS has partnered with a well-established corporate finance team comprising Michael Simson, Pradip Somaia, Brett Stacey, Dolf Campman and James Calvert. This team have separated from Regent Assay and will now trade as Regent EvolutionRead more
Issuing any dealmaking predictions for Q2 and Q3 2024 is a precarious occupation. As things stand, Britain and Europe as a whole are still subject to the economic headwinds caused by peak inflation, and theRead more
Large M&A picks up in 2024 – what does this mean for UK SMEs An article from S&P Global Market Intelligence had some rather better news about MA& activity! January marked the second straight monthRead more
Twelve years ago today I joined EvolutionCBS, a sell-side M&A Consultancy. Looking back over these years it’s been fun remembering many things, some frustrating – for example, I was a size six then (and IRead more
During the process of selling a business, usually at the stage where the seller is in exploratory discussions with the shortlist of potential buyers, one of the considerations is how the two parties assess theRead more
Much of the macroeconomic news at present appears to be gloomy, so Directors/Shareholders would be wise to give serious consideration to the timing of any company sale. What is absolutely clear is that Deal MakersRead more
Despite the economic turbulence that has prevailed for much of 2023, the M&A market has fared better than had been expected. However, there is a qualification needed here. There has been a marked drop inRead more
“When considering your ‘exit flight’ from the business, there’s a danger that the ‘weight’ of owner reliance – far from securing the ‘smooth take off’ you’d hoped for – might only lead to a fatalRead more
Tom joined in 1997 and moved to Oxford in 2007, is a Portfolio Director and head of the regional office where his responsibilities cover a broad range of private, charity and corporate clients. He holds the Investment Management Certificate and the Securities & Investment Institute Diploma. Tom has over 20 years of investment experience.
Roger is a methodical and highly consistent entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience specialising in exit strategies and business sales as an M&A adviser. As an author, he has supported numerous business owners in navigating what is often a complex and misunderstood process, helping them better understand business valuations and the dynamics of selling a company.
A Fellow of the Institute of Directors, Roger brings a strong combination of analytical expertise and interpersonal skill. He is adept at quickly building relationships, gaining a deep understanding of business challenges, and identifying areas for improvement to ensure maximum value is achieved from the sale of both assets and businesses.
The first half of Roger’s career was spent with a London-based family business, where he accumulated 24 years of management experience. He ultimately rose to the position of Chairman and Managing Director, leading a company with a turnover of £13.9 million and a workforce of over 200 employees.
A serial entrepreneur, John has over 45 years’ experience establishing and running his own SME businesses. Over the years, he’s sold 6 diverse businesses, as well as being involved in 4 acquisitions, including an MBO.
His business background includes advertising, design, strategic marketing and branded goods, where John contracted with large, blue-chip clients such as Bentley Motors, BAT, Hanson, Balfour Beatty, Tarmac, Motorola, Terex, etc., and dealt at senior management and director levels.
The second half of his career saw him create a very successful Intellectual Property, which attracted VC funding and was sold after 4 years to a licensee. Following this, John provided licensing consultancy to brand owners, helping them generate licensing revenues and protect their IP from plagiarism.
Over the past 9 years, John has worked as an M&A advisor, handling the sale of many SME businesses across several sectors, including manufacturing, engineering, distribution and ITAD.
Adams’ background lies within B2B service provision where he had many senior management roles in both sales and operations. In 2006 he headed up the UK M & A division of UTC Fire & Security and lead the commercial team in a £50m+ acquisition of a market leading fire suppression systems business.
A year later he started his own data destruction business with three partners which they scaled to one of the largest independent UK businesses in that sector. He worked with ECBS over a number of years before finally selling that business in 2025 via EvolutionCBS.
“Between us, we had pretty comprehensive experience of building, buying & integrating businesses but we definitely wouldn’t have been able to complete our own sales process so effectively without EvolutionCBS. We had been approached before we engaged EvolutionCBS, but what really opened our eyes, once we did, is the myriad of potential investors and deal structures that exist. Their network of these potential investors is extensive and that drives competitive tension and enhances deal values.”
Having experienced first-hand the quality and professionalism of the Evolution team, I was delighted to join their team and help others complete the journey as I did.
For almost 10 years, Chris was Director of Corporate Development at Restore plc, a £300m AIM-listed company.
Chris led the M&A team in the Company’s ambitious ‘buy and build’ strategy. Before that he ran the UK acquisitions operation for Cintas Corporation, a $4bn facilities services business.
Advice for Sellers: “Choosing a partner to help sell your business may be the most important financial decision you ever make. Ensure that you have established complete mutual trust and a good personal chemistry with your advisor because you will need to rely on their judgement at critical moments in the process.”
Chris’s specialist markets include, Saas Software, Document Management, Digital Transformation, Software Services, Hardware Distribution, ITAD & IT Recycling.
Since 2001, he has been instrumental in managing around 100 acquisitions in these markets, with deal values ranging from £200,000 to £80m+, totalling in excess of £300m deployed. The 100 deal completions include more than 20 of Chris’s own transactions.
In addition, in 2010, Chris sold his own digital imaging, data capture and document storage business, Preview Services, in a multi-million-pound deal.
Having spent 20+ years working in high-growth technology companies across the globe Craig brings priceless CFO experience to the table.
Specialising in working with fast-moving organisations that are driving expansion activities both organically and acquisitively, Craig has been working in a consulting capacity for the last 10 years, advising companies on growth strategies, negotiating sales and purchases of companies, and delivering successful technology-led transformation outcomes for his clients. Craig firmly believes that success comes down to having a ‘connected organisation’ culture in place, with common goals and tools that are supported by world-class technology-led processes adopted across team structures.
Advice for Sellers: “Invest in technology and operational alignment early. A well-integrated business always achieves a stronger valuation.”
Craig specialises in transforming companies to be fit for their next phase of growth, whether it is a company sale, a transformation event, or acquisitive growth. ”We don’t leave clients hanging, we take care of everything and make ‘it’ happen. We’ll push you, and we want you to push us. We’re progressive, forward-thinking and we’ll get ‘it’ done.”
A Board Level Director with more than 15 years’ experience in the Technology and Distribution Sectors, Chris has operated at the highest level in these demanding and fast paced industries delivering transformational business programmes and playing a fundamental role as Chief Operations Officer in the preparation of one of the UK’s most successful technology businesses for its eventual sale in 2015.
Advice for Sellers: “Make your business ‘turnkey’. Document your processes and strengthen your structure — it drives confidence and higher valuations.”
A highly effective communicator, Chris’ considerable experience across such a wide range of functions including Quality Management, HR, Procurement and Logistics, enables him to quickly understand how best to collaboratively support our Clients as they embark on their exit or investment journeys.
Mike is a seasoned Director with 20 years’ experience across multiple industries, successfully shaping and deploying strategy and delivering business value. His first board Directorship came in 2004. Subsequently he has held Directorships across many disciplines including Sales, Commercial, Technical, Consulting and Operations.
Advice for Sellers: “Preparation is everything. Mike advises owners to align their internal operations, financials, and narrative well ahead of sale. He emphasizes clear documentation, realistic expectations, and transparent communication to ensure a smooth process and the best possible outcome.”
Prior to joining EvolutionCBS, Mike had spent 15 years employed in the fast-paced world of Information Technology, working with some of the largest global brands.
An experienced c-level negotiator, problem solver and strategist, Mike initially joined EvolutionCBS as a Senior Client Director. He has since led a significant number of multi-million-pound deals and projects to a successful conclusion, delivering outstanding outcomes for his clients.
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